Part of the CRE Continuing Rabbinic Education Courses This 11+ hour course will empower you with the skills and techniques to better assist couples through different stages of marriage. Explore the rabbi’s role is in each situation and how to effectively engage and partner with the couples, families and mental health professionals in formulating and implementing a counseling plan. Drawing on real life situations, the course will provide nuanced instruction to best understand concepts and their application. Presentations will be given by leading mental health professionals, clinicians and Roshei Yeshiva.
Course Information
Course Instructors
Course Intro
Intro: Rabbi Yaakov Glasser and Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Schwartz
Rabbi Yaakov Glasser - David Mitzner Dean, Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future, and Rabbi, YI Passaic-Clifton, NJ Email: yaakov.glasser@yu.edu Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Schwartz - Rabbi, Congregation Adath Israel of the JEC, Clinical Director, Center for Anxiety Relief, Union, NJ Email: schwartz.ccbp@gmail.com
Session 1
Dating: Dr. Efrat Sobolofsky and Rabbi Josh Blass
Dr. Efrat Sobolofsky - Director, YUConnects Email: yuconnects@yu.edu Rabbi Josh Blass - Mashgiach Ruchani, RIETS, Rabbi of Kehillas Bais Yehudah, Monsey, NY Contact: Email: blass@yu.edu, Cell: (917) 623-4711 DATING RESOURCES: YUConnects List of Helpful Dating and Matchmaking Websites (from across the spectrum) Checklist for a Singles Event Practical Ways for Communities to Increase Matches Newlywed Networking Long … Continue reading Dating: Dr. Efrat Sobolofsky and Rabbi Josh Blass
The Wedding Ceremony: Rabbi Mordechai Willig
Rabbi Mordechai Willig - Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS, Yeshiva University, Rabbi, Young Israel of Riverdale, NY Office Phone: (646) 592-4084 Rabbi Yaakov Glasser - David Mitzner Dean, Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future, and Rabbi, YI Passaic-Clifton, NJ Email: yaakov.glasser@yu.edu Wedding Checklists: Rabbi Willig wedding checklist YUConnects wedding checklist (reviewed by several YU Roshei Yeshiva) Rabbi Yaakov Glasser wedding kibbudim … Continue reading The Wedding Ceremony: Rabbi Mordechai Willig
Session 2
Resolving Differences, Disagreements and Discord – Improving Communication: David Mark
David Mark - David Mark MS, Bilingual School Psychologist, LCSW, Certified Gottman Therapist, Founder & Director of The Long Island Couples Institute Contact: www.LiCouples.com, Email: Info@Licouples.com, Cell: (516) 241-1177 Power Point Handout Pages from Gottman's book The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work introducing the Four Horsemen (note these scans are from an older edition, the page #s in David … Continue reading Resolving Differences, Disagreements and Discord – Improving Communication: David Mark
Session 3
Boundaries – Within and Without Relationships: Rabbi Yaakov and Dr. Ruth Glasser
Rabbi Yaakov Glasser -David Mitzner Dean, Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future, and Rabbi, Young Israel Passaic-Clifton, NJ Contact: Email: yaakov.glasser@yu.edu Phone (W): (212) 960-5397 Dr. Ruth Glasser -School Psychologist, Naaleh High School for Girls, and Rebbetzin, Young Israel Passaic-Clifton, NJ Contact: Email: rglasser@naalehhighschool.org CASE STUDIES Below are 4 case studies used by the presenters to help … Continue reading Boundaries – Within and Without Relationships: Rabbi Yaakov and Dr. Ruth Glasser
Session 4
Developing a Healthy Attitude and Conversation about Sexuality – Between Spouses: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman
Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, President of NEFESH, therapist and author of several books/seforim on marriage Contact: Email: simchafeuerman@gmail.com Phone (C): (718) 793-1376 PDF of his sefer -עת לפרוש ועת לאהוב Link to his shiurim on "The Chosson Shmooze You Wish You Had But Never Got" on Guard Your Eyes
Developing a Healthy Attitude and Conversation about Sexuality – Between Rabbi and Congregant: Rachel Hercman
Rachel Hercman LCSW- Psychotherapist specializing in relationship and sexual functioning Contact: Email: rhercman@gmail.com Phone: (646) 494-8806 Download Handout that includes: Excerpt from Hedge of Roses by Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Article on A New Starting Line: Building Sexual Intimacy by Rachel Hercman Common Myths Related to Sexuality and Intimacy Helpful Questions for Obtaining Information About a Situation … Continue reading Developing a Healthy Attitude and Conversation about Sexuality – Between Rabbi and Congregant: Rachel Hercman
Session 5
Developing a Healthy Attitude and Conversation about Sexuality – Torah Perspectives: Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger and Dr. Scott Chudnoff
Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger - Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS and Rabbi, Beth Abraham, Teaneck, NJ Contact: Phone (C): (201) 314-1654 (best to send text message) Dr. Scott Chudnoff - Chair of the Hugh K. Miller, MD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Stamford Health and AASECT certified sexuality counselor & supervisor Contact: Email: Scott@chudnoff.com
Session 6
Parents Talking to Children about Intimacy and Sexuality: Sara Diament
Sara Diament - Director of School Services, Hidden Sparks, and author of “Talking to Your Children About Intimacy: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Parents” Contact: Email: saradiament@yahoo.com Link to Sara's booklet on Amazon
Session 7
The Stress of Dealing with so Many Competing Priorities – Religiously: Rabbi Ezra Schwartz
Rabbi Ezra Schwartz - Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS, and Rabbi, Mount Sinai Jewish Center, NY, NY Contact: Email: schwart5@yu.edu
The Stress of Dealing with so Many Competing Priorities – Emotionally: Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Schwartz
Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Schwartz -Rabbi, Congregation Adath Israel of the JEC, Clinical Director, Center for Anxiety Relief, Union, NJ Contact: Email: rjspsyd@comcast.net
Session 8
Retirement, Empty Nest, and the Sandwich Generation: Dr. Michael Salamon and Rabbi Kenneth Hain
Michael Salamon PhD - Founder and director of ADC Psychological Services in NY Contact: Email: drmjsalamon@gmail.com Rabbi Kenneth Hain - Rabbi, Congregation Beth Shalom, Lawrence, NY Contact: Email: rabbikhain@gmail.com PDF of Power Point Slides Home or Nursing Home Quiz (from Chapter 7 of "Home or Nursing Home")
Session 9
Materialism: Jonathan Caplan and Rabbi Ronald Schwarzberg
Jonathan Caplan- President and Chief Investment Officer, Caplan Capital Management, Inc. Contact: Email: jcaplan@caplancapital.com Office Phone: (732) 249-8600 Rabbi Ronald Schwarzberg - Director, The Morris and Gertrude Bienenfeld Dept. of Jewish Career Development and Placement Center for the Jewish Future-RIETS, and Rabbi Emeritus, Cong. Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, NJ Contact: Email: rschwarz@yu.edu Phone: (646) 660-5856 PDF of Power Point … Continue reading Materialism: Jonathan Caplan and Rabbi Ronald Schwarzberg
Session 10
Struggling with God and Religion: Rabbi Daniel Feldman, Rabbi Yakov Horowitz and Rabbi Larry Rothwachs
Rabbi Daniel Feldman - Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS, and Rabbi, Ohr Saadya, Teaneck, NJ Contact: Email: dfeldma@yu.edu Cell Phone: (917) 415-7111 Rabbi Yakov Horowitz - Founding Dean of Monsey’s Yeshiva Darchei Noam and Director of The Center for Jewish Family Life Contact: Email: yh@thebrightbeginnings.com Rabbi Larry Rothwachs - Director of Professional Rabbinics, RIETS, Yeshiva University, and Rabbi, Congregation Beth Aaron, … Continue reading Struggling with God and Religion: Rabbi Daniel Feldman, Rabbi Yakov Horowitz and Rabbi Larry Rothwachs
Session 11
Dealing with Illness and Death: Zahava Farbman
Zahava Farbman LMSW, PhD candidate - Associate Director Project Chai Crisis Intervention, Trauma and Bereavement Services, Director of the Yeshiva University Crisis and Trauma Center, and Adjunct Professor at the YU Wurzweiler School of Social Work Contact: Email: crisis@chailifeline.org Phone: 855-3-CRISIS
by Yosef Solomon
Looks great, fantastic quality. Thanks
by Yaakov Luban
Dr. Farbman
Thank you for your outstanding presentation which was so meaningful and thoughtful. When you spoke about commiseration being the first approach to helping someone with tragedy, I was reminded of a great lesson I learned from Rabbi Shimshon Sherer, the son of Rabbi Moshe Sherer. Rabbi Moshe Sherer was the head of the Agudah and rubbed shoulders with many important people. When he passed away and the family sat shiva, all the dignitaries came- Rabbinim, Roshei Yeshiva and lihavdil, the mayor, the governor, the cardinal etc. After the shiva, the family agreed that the one person who gave the most comfort and nechama was Rav Pam. Rav Pam came into the shiva house, sat down and said in Yiddish, vos far an umglik, what a great tragedy. He then proceeded to cry and sob uncontrollably for 20 minutes Then he stood up and said Hamakom yenachem eschem…Without uttering a word, Rav Pam’s sobbing touched the hearts of the aveilim in a more profound and meaningful way than anyone else because he showed how much he shared the pain of the mourners. I learned that the first and most important thing to communicate to an avail or anyone in pain, is that I care and I understand the magnitude of the tragedy.
Yaakov Luban